Switch



ay 1941- J. A. sous": 2,243,497

' swn'cn Filed Oct. 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor JOSEPH A.Bou \E,

A Horneys y 1941' J. A. sous"; 2,243,497

Filed Oct. 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor JOSEPH A.Boumz,

A ilomeys ure 3.

Patented May 27, 1941 SWITCH Joseph Alphonse Boogie, Berlin, N.

one-fourth to Louis Paradis,

3., mo! Berlin, NJL

\ Application October 3, 1939, Serial No. 297,149

(c1. zoo-52 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a switch for automobiles, the general object of the invention being to provide means for sounding an alarm if the vehicle should be driven too close to a curb so that the driver is warned that he is liable to damage the machine by having the parts thereof strike the curb.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of an automobile showing the invention applied thereto and showing how the same will engage the curb if the vehicle approaches we close to the curb.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device with the top of the casing removed and showing the device in neutral position in full lines and in two of its operative positions in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 ure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figof Fig- While Figure 1 shows the device applied to the rear part of the front fender of an automobile it is to be understood that the invention may be applied to the front portion of the rear fender or the invention can be applied wherever desired to give a warning before the automobile strikes an object such as a curb C.

In these drawings the numeral l indicates a casing which is provided with a cover 2 and said casing is provided with the ears I to which portions of the cover are attached and also bolts 4 pass through these ears and portions of the cover-into a portion of the fender as shown in Flsures 1 and 2.

A shaft 5 is Journaled in the casing and its cover and has its lower end passing through the bottom of the casing where an arm 6 has one end attached to the shaft, the arm having a downwardly and outwardly extending part terminatlng in a spherical head 1. A cam 8 formed of metal is attached to the shaft within the casing and said cam has one edge of substantially semi-circular shape with a recess 9 in the central portion of this substantially semi-circular part so that the recess divides the substantially semicircular edge into a pair of cam edges Ill and II. A spring I! has a substantially hook end it which provides a rounded convex part for normally fitting in the recess and this spring has a coiled part I having an end part extending across the space formed by the coiled part and a lock member it engages this end part and passes through holes in the casing for holding the spring in place. The end of the spring which extends from the coil is formed with a looped part which places the part I 3 in a position to squarely engage the recess 9 to hold the shaft and the arm 0 in a position with the arm extending at right angles from the casing and from the automobile. When the head 1 strikes the curb as shown in Figure 2 the arm is turned and, of course, this turns the shaft 30 that the part ii of the spring i2 rides out of the recess 9 and engages one of the cam edges ill or Ii, in accordance with the direction the arm is turned and then when the arm leaves the curb the pressure of the spring will move the cam member I, the shaft and the arm back to the original position shown in full line in Figure 3.

A fiber pin it passes through a hole in the cam member I and this pin is engaged by the free end of a metal contact arm ll which is held to a wall of the casing by a bolt II and a nut i9. These parts being insulated from the casing by the insulating material 2|. A conductor II is connected with the bolt by the nut is and leads to an alarm circuit and while the parts are in the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 the circuit is broken by the contact arm ll engaging the fiber pin ii. However, when the arm 6 strikes the curb or other obstruction it will be shifted thus turning the cam member so as to move the pin I! from under the end of the contact arm II which causes said am to engage a metal part of the member I and thus the alarm circuit is grounded and the alarm will be sounded. As before stated this device will warn the operator of the vehicle that he is approaching a curb too closely for when he comes close to the curb the arm is swung in one direction or the other which grounds the alarm circuit and sounds the alarm and then when the vehicle is moved to take the arm out of engagement with the curb the spring returns the parts to inoperative position.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to he understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes iali within the scope oi the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

A curb alarm for a motor vehicle comprising a casing attached to a part of the vehicle, a vertically arranged shaft iournaled in the casing and having one end extending therefrom, an arm having one end connected with the extended end of the shaft with the arm extending outwardly from the motor vehicle for engagement with a curb or other obstruction it the vehicle should approach the curb too closely, a metallic plate connected to that part of the shaft within the casing, said plate having a rwess in a part thereof with edge portions at each side of the re cess forming cams, a spring having a coiled end terminating in a straight part located in the space i'ormed by the coil, a locking member connecting said straight part with the bottom of the casing. the other end of the spring being bent into loop shape to provide a convex portion for flitting in the recess for holding the plate and the arm in a position extending at right angles from the vehicle and said convex portion engaging the cam parts, when the arm is moved to turn the plate, which causes the spring to move the plate back to its normal position, said plate having a hole therein, a plug oi insulating material located in the hole, a contact arm located in the casing and having a bent end for engaging the plug when the parts arein inoperative position and means for connecting the arm last-mentioned to a part of the casing and to insulate the arm Item the casing and means for connecting the contact arm to an alarm circuit.

JOSEPH ALPHONSE BOUGIE. 

